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Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Portland, Maine indie rockers Jeremiah Freed first hit the national music scene back in March of 2002 with their self titled debut album, Jeremiah Freed, which spawned the hit single Again. As it went in the music industry back then, much as it does today, the stars didn't quite align the way they should have for Jeremiah Freed. 2003's Slowburn would mark the final studio album the guys would release for 14 years. A lot has changed in that time, but one thing remains... Jeremiah Freed was and is a force to be reckoned with!

Companion, Part 1, marks the long overdue return of Jeremiah Freed to the world of indie modern/alternative rock. Most of the original band members are back... Joe Smith on vocals, Jake Roche and Nick Goodale on guitar and Matt Cosby on bass are joined by new drummer Andy Cosby. 14 years hasn't diminished the talents of this group one bit. Companion is the type of EP that you wish were at the very least an LP, if not a double live album. As soon as you pop the cd in (yes, kids, there are still those of us who enjoy listening to music that isn't streamed thru our headphones on our phone), there's this build up to track one, Hey Mama, that instantly takes you back to 2002. The sound is still the same, but in a grown up, we've lived our lives but can still do this better than 99% of the bands on radio today vibe. As a biased fan, I can make that statement. Also, as a biased fan, I can tune into our local alternative station and prove that statement to be true.

Bad Feeling is the rousing lead single off of Companion that is sure to catapult this EP to the forefront of the modern rock sound. There are hints of the bands southern rock styling on Hey Mama and I'm on Fire, and for you bluesy rock lovers, Thank You should satisfy you immensely. For my money, though, this entire EP pays me back in spades on one track... Heartbreak Atlanta. Easily the standout track on Companion, this song literally came out of nowhere for me when I first listened to the the EP. Here I am, rocking right along to the first two tracks, then this song hit every single feel that I've been feeling for the last year and a half. It's not every single time out that an artist can hit one out of the park like Jeremiah Freed has with this song. They shouldn't be expected to. But when they do, man, do they ever. Heartbreak Atlanta reminds me of growing up listening to my dad's old vinyl albums and 45s. The popular song was always the A side release. Every once in a while, you'd flip the record and discover a hidden gem on the B side. I'd put this track right up there with Yellow Ledbetter by Pearl Jam, God Only Knows by the Beach Boys or Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers. It's that damn good.

But don't take my word for it. Go out, support the band, and buy your copy of Companion, Part 1 today. If you're fortunate enough to live in Maine, you can head to your local Bull Moose music store and pick up your copy there. If not, click here to order it online. For the streaming crowd, hit up Spotify, iTunes and Google Play.Make sure you follow Jeremiah Freed on Twitter and like them on Facebook, and check out the official Jeremiah Freed website. And if you're one of the lucky ones who got your tickets to their first stage show in 10 years, I'll see you in Portland, Maine at the Portland H.O.M.E. on August 19th.